Tainted Sun
by cheesepuffzapper
Summary: SEQUEL to Just another day. In the aftermath of Magnus and his draug, a lot has changed for the residents of Morganville, especially the glass house gang. With the odds stacked against them, how will they deal with something they have never come across before? R&R :)
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome back! This is the sequel to 'Just another day' so if you haven't read that yet, I suggest you do as it may seem a bit confusing, but then again, when isn't Morganville confusing?**

**I hope you enjoy this first chapter!**

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Myrnins POV

Cold. Its unreasonably cold, I shouldn't be able to feel this. Vampires do not get cold. I didn't know where I was, even with my advanced eyesight I could barely make out the shadows. Long, stretched shadows. Shadows that seemed to be moving in this darkness.

I can escape. Whatever the situation, whoever was responsible, I can outwit them.

I can still try to figure out where I am, yes it should be simple. I tried inhaling, to place where I am. My nose quickly plugged up with the stench of mould, overpowering even for me. Somewhere damp, somewhere dark. Half the places in Morganville are like that.

How about portals? Yes, that would be an easy task. I concentrated, trying to sense any wisp of energy that could be here. I stretched my hands in front of me, gingerly and carefully. Who knew what sort of things could be down here?

They stretched and- contact. Something very solid, I don't think even I could move this. Must be just an obstacle, something standing to block the way. I couldn't even sense any portals, any sort of connection to them. I ran my hand over the wall, my nails passing over smooth grooves. I could sense a pattern. I followed a groove with my finger, making stacked rectangular shapes, all connected-

No. I dropped my hand, and clutched it to my chest. _No_.

This time I turned around, and again stretched my hand out, meeting the same surface. I followed it, followed it as it curved around me, back to where I originally started. There was nothing, not even a crack or an opening. Nothing.

I couldn't be trapped here. No. No. I looked up, again towards darkness, towards untold things and possibilities. I had to get here somehow, I'm smart enough to figure this out, smarter than most vampires in this town.

I felt myself slip, my fear growing as I turned into a victim, a victim of a predator. Trapped, in this hole. It was growing colder, the kind of cold I scarcely remembered even back when I was human. If I ever was a human.

Strange moaning came from the wall, strange sounds that shouldn't belong in here, and didn't. It was a voice I recognised, a voice I vowed to forget, much more lifelike than her computer form. She was haunting me, saying and whispering things that no one alive or dead should know. I couldn't think who would be sadistic enough to do this, to pick at my weaknesses.

_You shouldn't play in dark places Myrnin_ she whispered, and I backed up, standing against the cursed curved wall, only to move away as her voice circled me. No, this couldn't be happening, couldn't be, couldn't be-

_You shouldn't have killed me Myrnin, again_, her words, it was like they were attacking my brain, forcing me to remember, forcing me to feel regret.

And I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop as her words turned to slurs, to unrecognizable drawls, as I felt myself sit in the middle, where she couldn't truly get me. But she already has. I could only feel and focus in the pounding in my head, the same darkness that surrounded me, enveloped me and cut my strings, cut my being into tiny factions. I knew my mouth opened, to blubber like a child, making noise that no one would hear.

I couldn't even speak, couldn't form recognizable words. Just noises, noises that chocked and wrestled together in my throat in their attempt to get out, to escape from me.

It was the most primal of fears, a stupidly paralyzing fear that could work wonders on the mind. And the body.

_ .Creeping closer. Touching me. Enclosed. Taunting me .Taking me._

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**So that's Myrnin. He may be dead...or not ;) All will be clearer soon.**

**Since I'm sorta free now, I will try to update at least once a week, yay! I hope you liked it, and as I said, all shall be revealed soon...ish.**

**Thanks for reading! Drop a review if you feel like it, I don't bite. Usually.**

**~Cheesepuffzapper**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the second chapter! Its nice to see familiar reviewers and always a pleasant surprise to see new ones! I hope you like it!**

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**Claires POV**

Everything is chaos. The world that I know has been taken away and replaced with a strange, but familiar place. It's like seeing a familiar stranger, not quite being able to place them, but feeling attached nonetheless.

That's what Morganville feels like right now.

I remember sitting on the pavement, being bundled in Shanes arms, then forcing myself to get up and go home. I've been sitting here ever since. Maybe cold or numb, not that it mattered. Out of habit, I took the blanket that was draped across the couch and threw it over my shoulders. Comfort.

Shane walked in, holding two cups of coffee, and set them down on the table, to sit beside me. I didn't feel like moving or saying anything, just watching the dust motes fly crazily around, constellations of their own. It was an easy distraction.

"How are you?" His voice was a little hoarse and low, catching me a little off guard with his question. How could anyone know what they're feeling at such a time?

"Okay, I guess." Better than telling him how strange this all seems. He handed me a cup of coffee, and I gripped it tightly, afraid of spilling any. "Thanks." I felt a little like a child, being nursed and looked after, observed for any signs of alarm.

"What happens now?" I asked quietly, not sure how to carry on the conversation. Every situation was different, especially this one. I didn't really want to think about the events that would follow, things that would have to be... planned.

"We drink this coffee, and take turns at showering, I guess. The draug may be dead, but I'm not staying covered in dead draug any longer than I have to." It was a sensible choice, trying not to think too much into the future. I simply nodded in reply, sipping quietly, not that I needed to.

"You should go first, uh, I still have a few things to sort out around here." He was being subtle about it, but he was trying to be a gentleman. He gave himself away by the stall in his speech, by the way he glanced at the floorboards. It was kind of cute, but looking at my clothes which were thoroughly covered with black goo, probably was a good call.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I won't take long." From the corner of my eye I saw his lips tug into a smile, but it was gone as soon as I saw it. I guess it wasn't the time to be smiling.

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That shower helped a lot, took some of the tension out of my muscles. As much as it was refreshing, all I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for a few years. I wrapped myself into a fluffy white towel, and twisted my hair to get rid of excess water.

I glanced at the clothes on the floor, where I dropped them in the corner. They didn't look like they could be salvaged, unless stain remover works against dead gunk. I'll get rid of them later, knowing me I would mess up this towel.

With these thoughts in my head, I stepped out into the hallway, heading for my room as Shane walked up the stairs.

"I'm done with the bathroom. There should be hot water left." I suddenly felt clumsy, standing in front of him with just a towel. I know I made a point to him, telling him that we needed to be equals, but I couldn't change how I felt about him.

"Cool." He gave me a lingering look, and turned to walk away.

"I left some clothes in there; I'll take care of them later. If you want to throw your clothes out, just add to the pile" He nodded and headed to his room. It was like an unspoken rule to give each other the space that we needed, but at the same time it sorta sucked. I don't really know how to deal with these things, never did.

I can't imagine what Michael is going through, and I only saw a fraction of what Shane went through when I died. It feels weird to think that, _when I died._

I was back in my own room, unchanged since the peculiar incident. The mirror was still propped facing the wall; there were a few shards on the floor. I ignored them and fell into my messy bed, not caring about my wet hair or the newly washed sheets.

I couldn't stop myself from thinking about everything; it was the only way to understand the situation. Morganville must be a wreck from the draug, and the simple fact that the buildings weren't prepared for that much relentless rain. Amelie did get bitten by Magnus, but she seemed well enough to rip his heart, or whatever that thing was, to kill him. I can't be sure what happened to Myrnin, it was too quick and things were intense, but whatever it is, it couldn't have been good to bring him down so suddenly. And well, there was the matter of Eve.

My heart twinged a little, like at the reminder of a bad dream, but it seemed like this bad dream wouldn't end. I just couldn't think about it, I was too emotionally drained and chaotic that it would only make everything worse.

I focused on evening my breathing, to clear my mind. I even closed my eyes, to somehow try to imagine something different, to get away.

Some time must have passed because something poked at my legs, and I lazily opened one eye to see Shane, in his towel, lifting my legs onto the bed.

"That didn't look very comfy." He put my legs down, and putting a duvet over them.

"It wasn't. I never got to thank you, for shooting Magnus in the back for me." My voice was above a whisper, my throat too dry to make a louder sound. I must have dozed off.

"Anytime. Shotguns are my specialty." He continued to tuck the duvet around me, I felt ready to fall asleep again, to the promised land of warmth and comfort. I just snuggled deeper, not caring about what I was wearing, just trying to settle.

He came closer, as if to sit beside me, on the bed, but must have changed his mind as he remained standing. I started to doze off again, my eyelids being dragged down by the sheer force of exhaustion.

I felt something warm on my forehead, like a gentle whisper, and managed to open my eyes in time to see Shane move away, towards the door and shut off the light. I didn't have time to think about what it all meant, but rather rolled over, ignoring the urgent flashing of my phone on the bedside table, numerous messages that I would no doubt read in the morning.

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There was a lot of Claire in this chapter, but I felt like you needed to know how things were going. I promise that the next chapter will be more exciting, and that there will be some clues about Myrnin and the rest of the characters!

As always, thanks for reading, and leave a review! Its always interesting to know what you guys think, and it helps with writing everything ;)

**Till next time!**

**~cheesepuffzapper xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3! Things pick up as promised!**

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Amelies POV

It may be the first day since Magnus has gone, but the town couldn't wait another day. I was already compiling paperwork, repairs and statements. It was foolish, the work of secretaries, back in my time a queen would be listened to, there was no need for heavy paper and official signatures.

But that was then.

I shuffled some more, and looked to the telephone, no flashing lights, no alerts. What on Earth could be taking Claire so long? Does she understand the meaning of a dire situation? It may be late, quite an unreasonable time to be called upon, but that never stopped her before.

There were so many things to be sorted, to be fixed. There are people who have fled Morganville, with good concern, but there are people who are unsure of the situation, of what truly happened. Most likely those who fled the square, or heard rumours of what happened.

But there was a town to uphold, rules to enforce.

It was never easy.

"Yes?" It was Oliver, who I had called before; he would be more useful than a phone call.

"Bring Claire here, it seems like my calls do not make a difference." The command came out harsh and demanding, my face neutral as always, mirrored that of Oliver's expression. He merely nodded and left, not a whisper more.

I do acknowledge his presence, his loyalty, but as a ruler I cannot indulge myself, with him or anybody else. I know from experience, this will merely be used against me. It wasn't paranoia; it was having to relearn a harsh lesson too many times. And I couldn't afford to lose more vampires, I couldn't keep track of those who went missing or died.

I would have to be a fool not to acknowledge Oliver as a threat, he wanted to take over Morganville since he travelled here, yet he can also be a powerful ally, when faced with a common enemy. A bland smile crept into my lips as I thought back to the square, he did seem to have an attachment towards me, not that I made it easier.

I filed more paperwork, similar paperwork that we knocked over on _that night._ Even the phrase 'acting on impulse' wouldn't be able to fully describe that night, we both wanted it. I could tell.

The door burst open.

A grouchy Claire walked in, her clothes wrinkly, her hair still partially wet. I never understood modern fashion; the clothes can make anyone look like a delinquent. Behind her was Oliver, who was herding Shane into the room as well. He stood behind them like a silent guard dog, dressed in the darkness that he silently moves through, a natural born predator.

"Couldn't this wait until morning? Too much has happened in the last 24 hours." Claire impenitently spoke, trying not to look at me for too long.

"You will remember to watch your tone when you speak to me. Urgent matters need to be addressed, and no more time can be wasted. Why is the boy here? I only asked for Claire." Its not like I ask for much, and I meant it about the urgency of the matter. They think they won the war but there are battles yet to be determined.

"He simply insisted. I don't have the energy or time to argue with the boy." Oliver retorted, he seemed a little annoyed, not that he liked Shane.

"Is that code for I listened to his shotgun?" Shane smiled deviously. At least the boy knew how to bargain.

"Enough. I only need Claire for this; you will only get in the way." They didn't seem to argue with me, but I saw Shane's uneasiness. Humans are so easy to read. "It's only a job, so its better you wait or go home." I moved away from the desk, and pushed open a cleverly hidden door. It seemed that Claire was too sleep deprived to answer.

I motioned her to come forward, and as humans always do, she seemed to be taking her time. It's a pity they can't move faster. She went in, and I followed her, closing the door behind us.

I always liked hidden rooms, nobody else expects them, and they can give someone an advantage. What followed was a very short hallway, with another door that opened from the inside. The door swung open as we approached it, and revealed a room guarded by a handful of security guards spread out in the room.

It wasn't like my office, more like a mini laboratory.

"What is-" Claire's sentence cut off as she took a harsh breath. She probably noticed Myrnin, who was lying on an operating table in the middle of the room. He did seem pale, a shade paler than usual. He was still wearing the same battered clothes as when we placed him here, we had no need to remove them.

"He's alive, but somehow stuck in this comatose state. Silver still burns him, so he must be alive. Magnus brought this on, but whatever he did didn't fade when he died, like other things did. I don't know what he did to Myrnin, never seen anything like this before." I quickly summarised the situation for her, giving an explanation to the sight before her.

She merely approached him, and the bodyguards tensed. I called them off with the flick of a hand and they obeyed without a thought. Claire continued, and seemed to examine him, not touching him, probably noting the pale skin, and how perfectly still he was lying on the table. It was merely a gamble that she knew what was going on with him, but she would probably have more ideas than most.

Claire looked at him a moment more, and gently took his hand and turned his wrist, examining him. She quickly put his hand down, and retreated from him, just a little bit.

"What's going on?" She whispered to herself, but no doubt knew that we would hear her.

Myrnins POV

I clutched my head, my fingers running through my hair, never meeting my skull, not managing to dig that deep. It was still dark and cold, and so confining.

I sometimes couldn't breathe, would feel suffocated, but I didn't need to breathe to live. It was strange, how I didn't need something but it would still cause me discomfort.

I was still trapped, still stuck in this hole. I tried climbing but something would always beat me down, would whisper and dig into my back, pull at my ankles and make sure that I would land at the bottom. It was no use to fight the phantoms, shadows or whatever they were.

But it was so _dark._

They torment me, my madness causing them laughter, or entertainment. I do not know their purpose, if they even have one.

The whispers were picking up now, forming one voice in unison, and I quivered, which was all that I could do, the only thing that I was capable of at this time.

There were the sounds of bone cracking, an enormous sound against my eardrums that bounced around inside my head. The sound of liquid dripping joined in, building and intensifying, all of it to build up and then stop suddenly. I thought it would go on forever.

The whispering started up again, but this time it was possible to make out the words, not that they were always good.

_"You'll kill me. Just like you killed the one before me." _ I looked around, trying to find a source.

_"Admit it. You can't control yourself; you never could and never will. You already bit me before, you just need to go one step further." _ It was worse; it was getting worse by the minute. I tried to shake my head, I have learned since those times. It was wrong about that. I wouldn't hurt her.

It would be wrong. I would prove that I haven't changed even a little bit.

The sound of bones and liquid came back, while the whisper spoke, the voice lost to the sound of cracking.

_Crack _.Maybe it was me who was cracking.

_Crack._ Maybe I will do those things.

_Crack._ Maybe I'll never know, since this situation seems to be permanent.

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**I did say it will pick up ;) any theories so far? I would love to hear them!**

**Also, all of your reviews make me blush guys, you're so sweet! :3 **

**Cant wait for our next meeting ;) **

**~Cheesepuffzapper xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, I got writers block, but I think its all ok now!**

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Thanks for your nice reviews!**

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Claires POV

His hand felt more icy than usual, and even holding his wrist for a few moments resulted in the ultimate need to tear my hands away and seek warmth. Even when Myrnin was hurt in previous fights, it was nothing like this. I looked over him once again, his mismatch of clothes becoming a common thing to me.

There was something strange, stranger than this situation. Looking at his face, his eyes shut and perfectly still, no eyeball movement, there was some sort of glow coming from his forehead. I don't think anybody else saw it, but I think it was residue from Magnus's touch.

It was only slight, but noticeable. I moved my palm towards his forehead, and felt the slimy presence of Magnus. I could feel my skin crawling and the stench of dead fish filled my nostrils. Definitely the work of Magnus. I ripped my hand away, the smell overpowered my nostrils. I couldn't stand it anymore, no matter how brief it was.

Was he even alive? I know Amelie said he was, but its not like I could check his breathing. I became very conscious of what I was doing and I could feel the atmosphere becoming more awkward, from my prospective anyway. I'm probably the only human in here, and the only one who was actually moving.

"Has he changed at all?" I turned to Amelie, who was standing perfectly in the doorway.

"No. Have you noticed anything?" Its like she knew that I picked up on something. Maybe it was how she read my body language. Vampires.

"I don't know, exactly. It's just a feeling. I don't even know if I can help, I'm not a doctor." I heard how rough my voice sounded, even though I did get some sleep, being woken up by Oliver was not a wakeup call that I was expecting, or would look forward to.

"Myrnin is not expendable. He is too valuable to lose. We need to release him from this state." State? Like a coma? Probably the only way to explain this right now.

"I can't do anything for him right now. I don't even know if I can. Maybe it would be better if I looked around his lab for something." I was running out of options, and I didn't want to be stuck here until I resolved this problem. I wasn't falling into that again.

"To his lab? I don't know how much time we have before he becomes critical. I don't even know when he last fed, he could starve first." Her cool gray eyes shifted towards me and held me in my spot. I could faintly sense her power, the one that can bring vampires as old as Oliver to their knees in compulsion.

I was already in some sort of lab, but it didn't have his equipment or his alchemy books. The most I could probably do was check his blood, look at his blood cell activity. I bet I couldn't even check his brainwaves in here.

"I can run a few tests in here, but I will eventually need to go to the lab. And I can't work with so many people watching me. It puts me off my work."

"Do what you can and we'll see. You do understand I need guards in here to track your progress. Notify me when you need something." With that she left, taking two guards with her in some sort of silent agreement.

I turned back to Myrnin, and the four guards that were still present in the room. I guess this was slightly better.

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**Shanes POV**

In Amelies office, it was like 'bring your boyfriend to work day'. Not that I'm completely sure if I'm Claire's boyfriend anymore. I like to think so. Oliver was lounging in one of the seats, and I'm pretty sure something is going on between him and Amelie. They act like a bunch of high school kids, wanting someone but too stubborn to do anything about it. That's the experience I remember. I quickly imagined what would happen if I prompted Oliver, it would probably involve a lot of swearing and I would go missing. I'm not that curious to ask.

Claire was taking a while. But I guess that's the norm with vampire emergencies. It seems that there was always some sort of crisis going on, it didn't matter if things were resolved, something always pops up.

Maybe we should get a sign for Morganville, that the town is already under attack, and new threats should have to wait. Like some sort of demented queue for a chance at the dry desert town.

"What are you smiling about?" Oliver burst out. I guess he doesn't like humans displaying emotions. I didn't answer; I'm not giving him any ammo against me. Its not like he actually cared why I was smiling.

I looked at my phone to pass the time. Its 2am and I'm sat in vampire headquarters. It's funny how things change, a few years ago I would have thought I was insane to come here willingly at this time. The old Morganville was more fearful, and that's probably a good thing.

My phone vibrated, and Oliver turned to annoyingly glare at me. Ignoring him, I checked the notification.

_Can you come?Please. _It was a text from Mike. I wasn't really expecting a text, but then again I haven't seen him since I took Claire home. It's not that I wasn't being supportive, but I know when to give someone space. And I knew Mikey needed it.

I hoped he was okay, but that's a lot to ask from someone who has experienced such a loss. I remember when I was in the same situation, I mostly kept to myself, Mikey kept me out of trouble, barely, focusing my angry energy on the gym. I needed to be there for him like he was there for me.

I'm not really good at that kind of stuff. But he is my best friend.

I was ready to leave, but I knew I had to leave a message for Claire. She'll probably worry Oliver dragged me off somewhere. I could ask Oliver to tell her, but I wasn't that trusting of him. At least she had her phone with her.

_M needs me. _She would understand.

Oliver picked us up, and I didn't have any transport. I guess I'll have to walk. The hospital was just 3 blocks from founders square, scarily close if you think about it.

I can always run.

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**I hope you guys enjoyed that, I had to make a lot of decisions for this fanfic and how its going to go. I'm excited for you to read it!**

**I will update sooner this time, hopefully early in the week.**

**As always, don't be shy! Love you ;)**

**~Cheesepuffzapper xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**You might have seen the other chapter five, full of code.I really don't know what happened, it never happened to me before, so Im re-uploading this chapter. Thanks for clyrninforever for letting me know xD.**

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** Claires POV**

I took his blood, sliding the needle with a little bit of frustration. I don't even want to know how long it took me to find a good vein, pressing each arm, repeatedly. I took the sample and dropped some on a slide, putting another glass slide on top. I could tell the guards were nervous, they didn't know me or what I would do with the blood. I'm not stupid enough to walk out of a fully guarded room with a vial of vampire blood. I'm not even sure what the punishment would be.

I visibly and slowly put down the needle with the rest of the blood on one of the counters, and took the slide and placed it in a microscope. Looking at the blood, there didn't seem to be anything that would cause concern. The blood cells were active as always, by vampire standard, having studied blood samples almost religiously when helping to find a cure for Bishops disease. I watched them randomly move for a little while, having the few seconds to think of my actions.

I decided to write it down, as some future reference of my findings. Not that there was much to be found. The blood didn't even display any signs of increased white blood cells, which is what I would have expected, trying to fight whatever this is. It mustn't be viral then.

If only I could go rummage around in Myrnins lab, maybe find some sort of device that would help me figure this out. What would I find? I haven't stepped foot in the lab for some time now, it's probably fallen into its natural order of chaos. I wasn't even sure if I could find something that would help, or even operate, knowing Myrnins habit of adding gears and other things to devices.

This isn't going very well.

I rummaged through some of the drawers, coming across various things such as a first aid kit, more needles, syringes for injections and a bunch of scalpels. _Scalpels?_ What sort of stuff goes on in this room? I'm pretty sure cutting Myrnin open won't help in the slightest, as he would probably start to heal before I could get deep enough. Ugh. Did not want to think about that.

I looked into the cupboards, more basic medical stuff, blood pressure pumps, a stethoscope, and an odd looking box in the corner. I dug the box out, it didn't have any indication of what it was on it at all. I took the lid off, setting it on the counter, and took out a mass of wires that were connected to one thicker wire that seems to go to a computer on one end, and on the other end there were various electrodes. I instantly knew what it was, having seen newer and more practical models on the internet. It was one of the many paper Myrnin gave to me to read.

This would measure Myrnins brainwaves, or brain activity. All I needed was a computer of some sort... There was a laptop hidden away in the lower cabinets.

Half an hour later, and various electrodes glued to Myrnins head I was nearly set to measure his brainwaves. It was hard to assemble them correctly; Myrnin has a lot of hair that would get in the way. Now he looks like some sort of science experiment.

I ran the application on the laptop, and recording began instantly. I gave it a few minutes before shutting it off. The various waves and readings were showing me that his brain was fully awake, not undergoing any rest or repair. Again, strange. The readings shouldn't be that active, even for a vampire. It should indicate rest or that the brain isn't doing much.

I ran the test again, this time pinching him on his arm. It registered the pain, but again, it's like he was fully awake.

I turned to look at him in confusion, there wasn't anything telling me anything was wrong, but there was something wrong. He was lying, motionless, all this time. It didn't make sense. I wish things in Morganville made more sense.

"Tell Amelie I need to go to the lab. There might be equipment that could help." I said to no one in particular, and watched as the guard closest to the door left, eyeing me with slight annoyance at being the messenger.

I looked back to Myrnin and his light emanating forehead. Well, there's always _that_.

**Michaels POV**

I sat in the plastic hospital chair, holding my phone in my hands. My hands were trembling, I was holding onto the phone like a lifeline. Shane will be here. Shane will help. He'll sort things out.

I was breathing quickly, almost panicked breaths, like I was about to have an asthma attack. But I didn't need to breathe, not really. It was a habit, comforting, even if it did hurt. Every time I inhaled, my chest hurt, like a protest against the action. Again, I gripped my phone tighter, focusing away from the pain, watching as my hands would fidget over the blank screen.

They wouldn't even let me see her.

I couldn't even be there.

I tried, I tried to be there, but it was either wait here or be kicked out. But it felt like something was kicking against my ribcage, willing me move, to stand up. But I couldn't. It was like my whole body was weighed down, an anchor, refusing to move.

It was a busy night in the hospital, more than usual. Nurses and doctors would walk past, checking up on me. I wouldn't respond, not forming the words. I almost wanted to scream at them, to hurry them along to their jobs. But that wouldn't help.

My head was like a nest of angry snakes, thoughts hissing at one another, sliding over another, colliding, like I was hiding from myself. It was hard to concentrate, with all these noise in my head.

I continued to fidget.

Shane ran in, I could sense him. He approached me, and I stood up, full vampire speed, not caring to hide, my panic obvious in my movements.

"Wh-"He took a startled step back, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. But he didn't understand, he didn't hear the screeching in my ears . The poisonous thoughts I would swat away.

"You have to help me. They won't let me in, they won't believe me" The words forced themselves out through my teeth. I was afraid I would shout. My shoulders hunched together,my eyes still forcefully looking at the ground.

"Believe what? I know its har-"I couldn't let him finish, I waited long enough.

My head snapped up, and I knew how wild and crazy my eyes looked. I could feel it.

"They can't hear it. Her heartbeat."

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**Jup, you read that right.**

**I missed writing as Michael, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter, I worked hard on it.**

**Sorry again for all the code, when I checked it seemed to be fine.**

**Depending on reviews/creativity I may have the next chapter up tommorow night.**

**Love you guys~ Cheesepuffzapper**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know I said this would be earlier, but life got unpredictably in the way. I hope you enjoy this slightly longer chapter.**

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**Claires POV**

Amelie sat at her desk, her cold gaze upon me. She clearly didn't like the idea of me leaving Myrnin, of using up more time without any clear answers for her. It was frustrating for me as well, but I liked the challenge. As concerning as Myrnins condition is, I can't stop myself from feeling good when I figure out what's wrong.

" Clearly you have used whatever resources you have found to asses him. From your results, I can see your cause of concern. The concern I have is if you can find anything in that lab of his that would assist you." She put down the notebook that I scribbled on. There wasn't much in it, 2 pages at most. I didn't answer straight away, and the pause seemed to have pressed some urgency into me, emphasising the potential danger.

"I don't know if I'll find anything, but I know I will regret it if I do. As sophisticated as your lab is, it doesn't have the equipment that I'm familiar to and could possibly use to help him." I hurriedly spilled my words, word babble that I'm too familiar with.

" I'll have one of my guards take you. Be as quick as you can, bring back anything that could be useful." She seemed to dismiss me as she got up and a guard appeared at my side. It was the same guy that trudged off to give Amelie my message.

I was about to thank her, but Amelie picked up a bunch of papers and walked out to the lab area. I wonder if she was briefing her other guards.

I scanned the room, but the guard was leaving so I followed. Shane should be here. We left Amelies quarters and stepped into the waiting area. Empty. Maybe I took too long and he left, I don't usually notice the time when I'm working on something. It's a bad habit.

I followed the guard through the building and into the underground parking lot. He didn't speak at all.

"What's your name?" I asked. The silence was too awkward. He didn't answer, only opened the car door for me after a bored stare. Somebody's grumpy. I clambered into a typical vampire sedan, windows so heavily tinted I couldn't see the outside, just my reflection.

"Can I call you Steve?" I guess this was both stupid and brave of me. I took his typical lack of response as a yes. It's not like he objected.

It would be about ten minutes to get to Myrnins lab, and I wondered how Steve the guard knew where his lab is. Maybe it was his job to know. He seemed to be prepared for the sun, wearing black clothing, even a black cap over his brown hair. He looked to be in his 30s.

He seemed chatty.

I fumbled for my phone in my pocket and nearly dropped it as we turned a corner. I wasn't sure if he did it on purpose, his revenge for calling him Steve. I checked my notifications, and there seemed to be a lot of them. A few from Amelie, a missed call from her and a missed call from Michael. Also a text message from Shane.

_M needs me._

I felt guilty about the missed call from Mike, I knew he wouldn't call if it wasn't urgent. But I couldn't get out of this situation until whatever going on with Myrnin was resolved. More motivation I guess. I quickly texted back replies to both of them, just as the car rolled up on the pavement and stopped.

* * *

**Michaels POV**

Shane staggered a bit, maybe from my crazed expression or from my words, I couldn't tell. His eyes widened and his pulse quickened. It seemed forever until he spoke.

"What do you mean a heartbeat? They don't believe you?" He seemed to be still in shock, looking around, anywhere but my face. I couldn't relax my expression, I've been trying to act calm before, but things were finally being addressed, I couldn't possibly do anything about that. He glanced at those who looked at us as they passed by, a crazed vampire and human confrontation. They were smart enough to keep out of it.

"They think I'm in grief,t-that I'm hearing what I want to hear. I have to get in there." I could feel the pain building again, being weighed down by the world. It was a second chance and I'm messing it up.

"We'll sort this out Mike." He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world. I did need him here, they would listen to him. Not the grief stricken vampire talking crazy.

"She's still being evaluated. I can smell her, her live scent." I didn't go into detail of the differences between dead and alive people, but it was definitely her. Even I could hardly hear the heartbeat, but the scent of her blood was also weak with every slow pump her heart gave out.

"Lead the way. I've been in hospital enough to know most of the nurses." He was going to try to talk around it, I could tell. What if it failed? What if those people were doing this on purpose, glad to see her die, just because of our relationship? We both knew the risks, saw how they reacted to us. Nothing would surprise me at this point.

I quickly led him down the hall, almost tugging him along with me. I waited outside the white door, barely controlling myself from ripping the door off and taking her out of there myself. Every muscle in me wanted nothing more, twitching to just do it.

Shane rested his hand on my shoulder, and knocked loudly and urgently on the door. He continued his knocking until the door opened to reveal a grumpy nurse. It was the same nurse that nearly kicked me out, and he gave me a sigh.

"Sir, you should-" He started to repeat what he had already told me, but Shane cut in with his calming tone.

" There seems to be a misunderstanding. My vampire friend over here has made it clear that you have diagnosed incorrectly." At another time I would have laughed at the language he was using, but I knew it was intentional. He seemed to emphasise the fact that I was a vampire. " Just let him in. He should be able to see her, he's the closest family she has. You can't be saying that you don't trust vampire's senses?" The nurse sighed, tired of the bother he was getting. I didn't have time for this.

I disappeared through the open door, leaving Shane and the hassled nurse. I only stopped when I saw her, on a cold metal table, covered in a sheet, official papers beside her. Her skin was pale, as pale as her rice powder makeup, and she really did look like a corpse. A lump formed in my throat, and with shaking hands I gently felt around her neck for a pulse. It wasn't easy.

The nurse came in, shouting words that I didn't listen to, I merely flashed my fangs in reply. I kept searching, my fingers brushing her neck, her wrists. I could hear it, faint but definitely there, but I just had to prove it.

Maybe I was hearing things, maybe I just couldn't let her go, couldn't deal with a life without her, couldn't-

Pressure. I felt it.

"Right there, faint, but its there." I held the place gently with my thumb, and the nurse came closer, and took over from me. I moved towards her head, brushing some of the stray hairs away from her face. The panic has subsided, but it was still there, tearing at me, threatening me.

"I don't feel-" The nurse spoke quickly, then stopped to take in a sharp breath. He took her papers, her chart and pressed a button on an intercom.

" Moving patient to critical. Prepare space." He rushed off, ignoring the garbled speech that came out in response. I was still stroking her head when he took the table and began to wheel it out. I moved out of the way, I didn't want to get in the way. But I kept close.

"Open the doors"

* * *

Well there's that. I hope it wasn't too dramatic, and that you enjoyed it.

I will have another update this week, so look out for that!

Also, a quick note to thank for the reviews, its really nice to receive them, and always gets me excited about updating and finding out what you guys will say next!

Till next time!

~Cheesepuffzapper xx


	7. Chapter 7

**Woop another update! Told you to look out for it!**

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**Claires POV**

I ran down the steps to Myrnins lab, being careful not to trip over anything or slip. The steps to his lab are usually cluttered free, but you can never know with Myrnin. I flung the door open, unlocked again. Not that anyone sane would come down here of their own accord.

His lab was in a complete stage of complete disarray, it was beyond messy. The areas that were lab tables were just mounds of junk, with bits of mechanisms sticking out of them. I flicked the light switch on, but the light blinked and went out. Not such a problem for Myrnin.

I didn't trust myself to take actual steps, as the floor was covered in stray books and tubes that belonged in the bin. I shuffled a little bit into the room, leaving the door open to allow a little bit of light from the street to enter the room. On second thoughts, I stacked the nearest books to me as some sort of door stop.

Now, what was I looking for?

Something that would help Myrnin, would give me some answers. I didn't know all of Myrnins gizmos in the lab, but I knew he had a lot of projects that he would discard to the side, for me to tidy away, and then randomly start working again on it for the cycle to repeat. I reached through the junk closest to me, a mountain of gears and metal bits that probably had fancy Victorian names.

There was some sort of contraption that Myrnin had used to feed bob. Like a mechanical feeder when he was away for a while, this led me to wonder when was the last time bob was fed. Looking at all the dark corners, I was sure he wasn't going hungry. Probably happily catching insects, hidden away.

I moved to another pile, which was partly covered in mould. I didn't want to know what chemical he had spilled.

I moved away, silently digging and searching through various piles off stuff. There probably wasn't anything left in any of the drawers anymore. I was conscious of the fact that I was moving away from the light; at least I had that door stopper. I had thought about looking for flashlights, but I dropped the idea straight away. It would take too long.

I couldn't see anything anymore, I was touching things and figuring out what they were. Sometimes I dropped items because they were wet or just plain freaked me out. I did come across a box that I emptied out. Myrnin wouldn't mind. My hands closed around some sort of cool metal, taking the item was hard, since it seemed to be wedged deeply. Cautiously, I dug around freeing it and taking it out further. There were wires that I made sure not to tear or damage. After plunging my hands into a mix of cold and slimy, I dug it out and placed it in the box. I couldn't tell what it was yet, better keep it just in case.

I searched around a little bit more, putting some things into the box, making sure the contents weren't squashed. I wondered how much time had passed, and decided this was as good as I was going to get from Myrnins lab. It is hard to look when you don't know exactly what you need.

I lifted my head up and looked around for the doorway. For a moment, panic froze me as I couldn't find it, but standing up I could see light coming from a distant destination. It seemed to take forever to walk back, but that was probably because I was carrying a box full of stuff, and was making sure not to trip over anything. After much dodging and shuffling I made it back to the doorway and with my foot shifted the books back into the lab and closed the door.

* * *

Back in the car I checked the time. I took two hours. I didn't question it and dove into the box to check some of the things out. Some of them were useless and broken, with parts twisted at angles that couldn't possibly be right. On some, the glass canisters were broken, dripping a mysterious liquid into the box. Is it all a waste? Maybe I could construct something from these, but looking at the broken metal it was sort of discouraging.

I picked up a few wires.

It was the contraption I picked up earlier, taking my time to dig it out. It seemed like a circuit, with something that I think would act as a battery, as it was a glass container with a green sludgy liquid inside, connected at both ends. The metal I grabbed onto was some sort of switch, to turn the circuit on. The wires, there were at least 6 of them, came from the same point of the circuit, in various lengths. On the ends, were the exposed iron wires. What is this thing?

It didn't seem to have a useful purpose, even though it seemed intact, but why were there exposed wires? Those could...shock somebody.

It could wake someone up. Or give me some sort of window opportunity...but for what?

Myrnin still feels pain, the results showed that, it produced a spike in his brain activity. Do I really want to shock him? And then what? Shock him awake? Not the most moral plan.

It could act to get his attention, maybe release him from whatever state he is in. I really needed to work on this plan. It was one thing to shock someone with a legitimate reason, but to do it, not knowing of the consequences or possible side effect?

That looked like a Myrnin experiment to me.

* * *

**That was just Claires 'preparations' I guess. It seems long to have just Claire, but things will get exciting in the next one!**

**And dont worry, I havent forgotten about our other situation ;) Should I have a Myrnin POV as well next chapter?**

**As always, thanks for the reviews :*. **

**~Cheesepuffzapper.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. I was busy with entering a last minute contest and well, competing in the wonder that is Gishwhes ( cookie for you if you know what it is) This chapter took a while to write, and its extra long to make up for my absence :) Hope you guys enjoy.**

**Apologies for any typos.**

* * *

**Michaels POV**

I wouldn't let them budge me from the hospital room, I wouldn't leave her again. Not that anyone was bothered by me; they were all rushing around her, trying to find her faint heartbeat. One nurse took out a defibrillator, and rubbed the metal plates together to create static.

He put the metal plates on her chest and shouted. Then he did it again. It seemed sort of brutal, but it did get her heartbeat to rise. I sighed a little bit, things were looking promising. The frenzied hospital workers seemed to also take a breath around me, as their movements slowed down, some left, a few read her charts, and another set up an IV. If things did come to the worst possible scenario... Would I have turned her? She was already apparently dead, what would have I done if Shane hadn't turned up and sorted things out? I like to think I wouldn't have turned her, wouldn't have made her like me without asking her. She knows how hard it is for me sometimes, how I miss the rays of sunlight touching my skin without causing second degree burns. But enough about that.

It didn't matter anymore.

I looked towards her in the hospital bed, her skin a better colour than last time, her chest falling and rising with every breath. Her eyes were still closed.

"She's stable for now. Let her rest." The nurse approached me, the same one that wheeled her in here, and walked away carrying the clipboard. I nodded in reply, and poked my head out of the door.

Shane was sitting in one of the waiting chairs in the hallway. He was looking at the floor, his hair ruffled and messy as always.

"Hey, they say she'll be okay. But she needs to rest." Shane looked at me and smiled a little.

"Awesome. I was worried there wouldn't be anyone to complain about my chilli." He half-heartedly joked, but I could tell he felt relieved. Speaking from past experience, she wasn't the only one to complain about his chilli. Even with my heightened senses, my nose burned.

"Do you want to check in on her?" I knew he wanted to, but he probably waited for me to come and get him.

He stood up and entered the room behind me in response. I followed him in. There was no change, but at least she's stable. He strode forward, and clasped her hand like I have countless times, and whispered to her. I could have listened in if I wanted to, but I left them alone. Knowing Shane, it was probably harmless threats about her getting better.

* * *

**Claire's POV**

I stood in front of Myrnin, holding the contraption in my hands. I can't believe I am going to try to shock him awake. I just hope I wouldn't do much damage. I didn't really know how a vampire would react to electricity.

The guards watched me closely, but Amelie did explain that I knew what I was doing. They probably didn't believe her, just because of the way I was standing, hesitating. I wouldn't know until I tried.

I adjusted the equipment over his head, making sure it fit him correctly. It took some time to figure out how it worked, being one of Myrnins contraptions. The wires were connected to a box, which had a meter. To someone untrained, it looked like a bunch of superglue junk, but every spring played a part. I hoped.

I turned on the switch on the side, and listened as the machine hummed. Nothing was happening yet. It didn't take long to warm up, and the dials went up. Minimum shocks were being given out, and they didn't seem to make a difference. I let the needle on the dial climb a bit more, while keeping a steady eye on Myrnin.

The needle got halfway, and I was about to shut off the whole thing as a failure, until something strange caught my eye. It was his forehead again, like a strobe light this time. Considering the past few months, I didn't have much of a reaction to this. Whenever I was needed, to do something, there was always glowing involved.

I approached him, still holding the contraption in my hand. A few months earlier, I would have thought I was crazy, but here I am, fully accepting the fact that somehow, Myrnins mind glowed.

_His mind._

I raised my hand, as I had before, and put it over his forehead, matted with the hair I moved when placing the other electrodes. There was an electrode under my fingers and I took it off, shocking myself at the same time. Not smart. I looked at my slightly blistered fingers and shrugged it off. It wasn't at the highest setting, the needle still hovered around the middle. The squiggles that would indicate some sort of values were too faded to make out.

I put my hand back on his forehead, and felt the clammy skin underneath. Last time I checked, he was perfectly cool. I let my hand stay there, brushing his hair away from his face when I felt my palm tingle. I froze, and the sensation grew. It was like there was an invisible thread attached to my palm, and every-time I moved I was tugging at it. I gave up trying to comprehend at this point.

I didn't move my palm, but imagined what would be on the other end. It was like something was stuck, resisting. Against my better judgement, I remained in the same position and concentrated. I pulled, and flexed my fingers.

Myrnin was glowing brighter, but it didn't seem like a good thing. My arm glowed in return, like some sort of homing signal. Not this stuff again.

I quickly pulled my palm up and there wasn't anything resisting this time. Whatever I did, it was done. Myrnin wasn't glowing anymore. I glanced at the box, and turned it off.

The air became colder, and as I glanced up again, it was like darkness had enveloped me.

Nothingness.

* * *

**Myrnins POV**

What was happening before me was a some sort of lightning show. Light cracked and split as it raced down the circular pit that trapped me. It didn't seem real. But I would do this, wouldn't I?

Give myself a chance, make it seem like this horrible experience is ending.

It wasn't much different out there. There were no apparitions, but the voices were the same.

The light was a blue electric colour, not really going anywhere, just crackling and sticking to the walls. Would it hurt if I touched it? They were like veins, spreading out and pulsing, an endless network...

Such a lively colour, nothing compared to the darkness and shadows I'm used to. If I stayed here longer, I was sure I would forget what colours looked like.

The blue reflected off my skin, showing my pale skin. Grey. Dead skin. I'm dead. Not entirely. Maybe.

That wasn't the only thing it reflected. There was a shadow stood in front of me, more like a billow of smoke. Grey and black tendrils swirled, forming a face and a figure. They merged together, weaving a torso and a face. I didn't recognise it until it moved to the hair, black moving shadows over the shoulders, swaying slightly in the nonexistent breeze.

I took a step back, my breathing accelerating.

The place where eyes should belong deepened, like a dried out mummy, and filled with glinting red eyes. Another colour in this strange place.

The figure smiled and flashed a fang as I stood as close as I could to the wall without touching the light.

It didn't say anything, just stared and smiled at me. I couldn't look at this _thing. _

It was even wearing the bunny slippers.

"You can't run. You and I know that." The voice was distorted, like an imitation of my voice, or did I really sound like that? I didn't respond, only continued to stare. It formed hands, and immediately they were dripping blood. It didn't stop; it pooled, and kept running.

"Don't you remember the last time you did this? Watched as life pooled around you, left your victim. It wasn't blood you were hungry for back then." I looked away, disgusted. Every word struck a chord with me, rained shivers over my memories.

The bricks near me started to shudder, and I rested against the curve. I didn't feel the light, like everything else down here. But I saw how it affected the structure. Maybe it would break me out. But then what. Claw through the dirt that surrounded this hole?

I turned back to face...well...me.

"You're long dead. I destroyed you." I hissed. My voice was low as my throat was dry. I eyed the blood on the floor, slowly approaching me. It touched my feet, but I didn't feel anything. I didn't understand.

"You can't kill what's a part of you. You can only bury it." The pretend me spoke harshly, and other figures approached, materializing out of the bricks, it seemed.

I didn't say a word, only watched.

A woman, neat and orderly stepped forward, but she didn't look right. Maybe it was the burning hate that burned in her eyes. Red. Even her slightly frazzled bun seemed annoyed at my existence.

"Don't recognise me Myrnin? Locked me away too, didn't you. Forgot. I thought the lab coat would be obvious." She gestured to the lab coat she was wearing. It wasn't much of a coat, as ripped ribbons of white over her figure.

I didn't reply, for I could feel where this would go if I did. I did recognise her, as my former assistant; I took her brain to power the town. A last resort really, and I was quite curious if it would work... I snapped back to the scene before me. It was getting crowded, and the other shadows didn't have any faces, just silhouettes. It was getting hard to breathe, and my throat burned at their presence.

I wonder when this would stop. Hardly fair, a crowd against me.

"How are you even here? Even I don't know where I am." I spoke, louder and braver than I felt. While I wanted answers, I also wanted to curl up into a ball and just ignore the world around me.

"We were always here, down in this pit that you threw us down. You're the shiny new thing. I thought he would figure it out sooner." Shadow me spoke, and laughed at me with Ada. Clearly the situation was hilarious.

"Where is the one place you hear us Myrnin?" She asked cruelly. This wasn't the Ada I remember. Maybe my memories were as twisted as I am. But the answer didn't make sense, how could I be in my mind?

Magnus. He did something to me.

As if on cue, a giant golden rope descended from the ceiling and wrapped itself around me. It was raising me. I merely sighed and went with it. I could feel it twisting tighter around me, like it wasn't there to help me at all. Stay down here or be raised by a glorious rope that wanted to choke the life out of me? I didn't have a choice, and it wasn't a question I ask myself every day.

I was so caught up in the sensation of having my breath chocked out of me, I didn't realise the tugging sensation on my legs. Some of the shadows were attached to me, clinging to me. Trying to hitch a ride, as one would say.

I tried to shake them off, and I didn't know if I succeeded as a blinding pain stabbed at my head, and my vision turned dark.

A few moments later, I twitched my hands, testing my fingers and meeting a cool surface.

I opened my eyes to light, and waited for my eyes to adjust. I was in a room.

Sitting up, I noticed the people on the floor. A few, what seemed like guards, slumped against the wall. I smelled her before I saw her.

Claire, just to the side of the table I was sitting on, was unconscious on the floor, a bump on her head. She was holding a box, and I noticed that the wires lead to me. I peeled them off my skin.

What in the world did this?

* * *

**Dun dun duuun.**

**I had fun writing this, especially the Myrnin part. Cant wait for you guys to see what I have planned!**

**Leave your thoughts for me below, I need all the inspiration I can get ;) As always thanks for your reviews, and see you guys soon!**

**~Cheesepuffzapper ;) xx**

**P.S. good luck to you brits receiving your exam results today.(or anyone really)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Heres the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it.**

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**Claires POV**

It hurt. That's the only thing that I could focus on. That and the weird sensation on my cheek. I grunted. Immediately, a sound like bells underwater pierced through.

"Claire?" It was a word, it was my name. The voice sounded so close, friendly. I opened my eyes.

My vision was blurry, and I didn't see who it was at first. I saw dark tendrils, but a moment later I realized I was staring at someone. Someone's hair more like. I could still feel his hand on my cheek, some sort of reassuring comfort in my confused state.

"Myrnin?" I blurted his name out suddenly, my vision becoming clearer, more aware of where I was. And what happened. I gasped and looked around wildly, instinctive fear and adrenaline running through me. They could still be here, could still be a threat.

"It's alright. Claire, it's over." Myrnin cooed me, seeing my alarmed state. His hand still rested on my cheek, like it was glued there. It was cold, but not as cold as he used to be, when I last checked.

"It worked?" I asked, awkwardly forming the words. I was still groggy, and my hand instinctively went to the newly formed bump on my head. I must have hit something on my way down. Myrnin smiled slightly, it was a smile I thought I wouldn't see again, and those are rare for him. Myrnin brushed his hand against my cheek, and helped me stand up. I wobbled a little bit, and he caught me.

He seemed healthy enough to help me.

"You went digging through my stuff?" He asked, looking at the machine on the floor. It looked like some of the wires were frayed.

"I had to." He was still holding me, making sure I had my balance back. He was strangely close to me, and I didn't know what that meant.

He didn't say anything else, but slowly removed his hands, watching me. I gave him a steady look in response. Only now did I notice that the guards were on the floor, but they were groaning and moving. They must have been hit by whatever hit me. Maybe it was just the act of getting Myrnin back.

I was seriously too tired to come up with other guesses.

Amelie walked in, and looked from her guards on the floor to Myrnin, who was stood in front of me.

"You did it." I could hear the relief in her voice. Myrnin is a valuable part of Morganville, he made the town work. Without the portals and the boundaries, Morganville wouldn't be Morganville.

"Here I am. Not like you doubted Claire." He replied, and I poked my head from behind him. There wasn't much space behind the table that dominated the room.

"What happened here?" Amelie asked, as her guards stood up, helping each other. They seemed confused and bewildered as I was.

"I don't actually know. It's all a blur." That was true, for me the world was still slightly spinning. I didn't remember too much, not that it would be important information. I needed a moment.

"Well, doesn't seem like anyone got hurt. You've succeeded. I need to catch up Myrnin on what happened since his...condition." She meant since Magnus touched him and he went crumbling to the floor. I'm sure she had plenty of questions for him to keep her amused.

"Claire should get home. I can imagine how long she spent here." Myrnin quickly stepped in. Maybe this was his way of showing his gratitude.

"I would suggest some mode of transport, as it is after sunset." Amelie spoke before stepping through the door into the office. This late already? I must have been out of it for a while. Its a good thing Shane didn't stay, he would have driven Oliver insane. He did leave because of something to do with Michael.

One thing at a time.

I slowly followed after Myrnin, taking my time. I could tell that Myrnin was keeping back, not the usual need to be as quick as possible.

As soon as I entered the room, Amelie stood up and nodded at Oliver.

"He'll take you home. Thank you, Claire." That tone was very dismissive, and as I followed Oliver out of her office, I gave Myrnin one last look. He's been through worse.

"I'm not your taxi." Scowled Oliver. Wouldn't expect less from him.

* * *

I held an icepack to my head as I wondered the house and tried to call Michael. Even Shane was out, not in his usual position of fighting zombies on the couch. It was nice to pretend that life was normal for a moment.

Michael wasn't picking up. I scrolled through my limited contacts list and hovered over Shane's name. I was simply checking up on everything, and he did text me that he was going to Michael. I simply dialled, sitting on the stairs, like I have many times before. The wait was intimidating, and a childish voice told me he wouldn't pick up at all. But he did.

"Claire?" He asked. His voice was a little urgent.

"I got your text, I'm at the house. Is Michael okay?" The icepack was numbing my fingers.

"He's more than okay. We're about to head home. Normally I would be going alone but he doesn't want me to risk it so late." He chuckled slightly, the sound warming me up slightly. Michael was right to be cautious, even if the town was rid of its draug problem, it was still Morganville.

"I'm glad to hear that. He's got his car, right?" It seemed the most sensible choice. I can't imagine Michael running home with Shane on piggyback.

"Yeah. I gotta go. Be there in a few." He hung up and I stared at the phone screen. Slowly, but surely, everything should return to normal, right?

* * *

**Shanes POV**

I didn't miss the vamp sedans, but it was a nice change for the past couple of the weeks. We rolled up to the glass house, and I jumped out of the car along with Michael. He didn't properly park, the car wasn't going to stay there long.

It was only a few minutes since Claire called me, but entering the house, I found her dozing slightly on the couch, holding her phone tightly. She must have noticed our presence as she rubbed her eyes and sat up immediately.

Michael went into the kitchen, and I sat beside her.

"Is that a bump on your head?" I asked, looking at the aggressively red bump just above her forehead. She picked up the ice pack that had slid on the floor.

"Yeah, but it's nothing. It's a strange story." She yawned slightly. I took the ice pack from her hands and held it over her bump softly.

"We're not staying long; we're going back to the hospital, just here to grab some things."I explained.

"The hospital?" Her eyes wavered slightly, but she didn't say anything about me being so close to her. Michael appeared from the kitchen with a bag and came towards us.

"Eve is alive. I can't explain it, but it's like she held on." Michael smiled warmly, pausing for a moment and running upstairs. I remember him saying that Eve won't be happy waking up in hospital PJ's. Only Eve.

"What? Shes alive? We have to go." Claire stood up suddenly, the ice pack falling on the couch.

"She hasn't woken up yet, but they're taking care of her. Michael is just gathering some stuff for her so she's more comfy." She sat back down, smiling at me like a ray of light. I couldn't help but stare, she's my Claire. It was complicated but I didn't want it to be.

She hugged me tightly.

"She's alive!" She laughed slightly. Her warm body against me felt perfect, I've missed this. It was such a simple action, bringing out simpler feelings. The feelings that were always there. She pulled away slightly, but now we were face to face, our noses nearly touching.

There was electricity between us, but I watched her closely, not making a move on her. Her breath washed over me, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her right there and then. I looked down to her lips, parted slightly, and always so rosy.

"We're good to go." Michael yelled as he stood on the stairs. During his excitement, he didn't notice us. Claire pulled away completely and stood up, blushing visibly.

"I'll just grab a coke quickly; there wasn't much of a chance to eat." She headed to the kitchen.

"I wasn't interrupting, was I?" Michael teased, throwing one of our black duffel bags over his shoulder. I didn't want to spoil his mood, its not everyday the love of your life came back from the dead.

"Nope. You did pack a lot." I gestured to the bag.

"Just the supplies we need." He winked mischievously, as Claire came back with two cokes in her hand.

"Ready?" She asked, handing me a can. She knew me too well.

"Let's go." Michael led the way to his car, leaving me to lock up the house as he put the bag in the trunk. Looking sideways out of habit, we all got into the car and drove off.

It seemed to me like it's going to be a long night.

* * *

**Ta-dah! What did you think? More action in the next update! We find out what went down in the lab :)**

**Thank you for the reviews for last chapter :) its helpful hearing your opinions.**

**Also, for the next update, it might be early or late as I'm going abroad for a week and I might update before going if I finish or after I return.**

**Till next time guys :***

**~Cheesepuffzapper**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello! As I thought, this would be delayed. Apologies for that. But here it is!**

**Claires POV**

Eve is alive, it was a dizzying sensation. The last time I saw her, she looked so broken, so close to the end. I heard the story of how they got her to critical care, and I couldn't quite believe it. Michael believed in her and here she is.

I stood close to her hospital bed, along with Shane and Michael on either side. The duffel bag rested on the chair that was meant for visitors. She hasn't woken up yet, but everything seemed normal. She was recovering.

"Thought I lost you there, Eve." I whispered, adjusting her blanket around her. Last time I saw her I had to be dragged away. She's my best friend, and I couldn't imagine life without her. She still hasn't woken up, but the small fact that she is here at all was reassuring.

I left her with Michael, a seemingly permanent presence near her hospital bed. I sat down beside Shane on one of the waiting chairs and sipped my coke, and welcomed the sugar.

"Eve seems better." Shane mused, sipping his own coke.

"Yeah." I yawned; it was a very long day. Slowly but surely I could feel the exhaustion pulling at me, and my stomach rumbled silently.

"So you finished work. Did Myrnin...?" He trailed off the question, looking at the bump on my head. It was all a blur to me, but a few things did stand out.

"Yeah, he's alright now, as alright as Myrnin can be. It was so strange, something knocked out everyone in the room." I picked at the metal opener on the can, thinking.

"Today was sure exciting. I didn't think they would let you go for a while." Shane joked, but got serious quickly. Amelie would have probably kept me until I figured it out and managed to wake him. I couldn't imagine what she would have done to me if I hadn't succeeded.

" Exciting is one word for it. It was so rushed and intimidating, and at the end of it... well it was strange. It was like an explosion of dark shapes swirling from Myrnin and just blocking everything. It felt like I've gone blind, cut off from everything. Then I just woke up." I touched the bump on my head, which was better but still stung sharply.

"I haven't questioned anything in this town for a while, I just learn to roll with it. At least everything worked out, and you're fine." Shane sounded concerned, but he always was, about me. I knew what he was saying was true, nowadays we just work whatever crisis we have on our hands.

"That's one way to look at it." I reply, looking straight at him. He looked tired, but still the tanned person I knew too well. This whole idea of taking it easy isn't that easy after all.

**Myrnins POV**

I ran down the steps to my lab, its seems so long since I stepped foot in here, but couldn't have been longer than a few days.

I was confronted with piles of my stuff on the floor, it was worse than last time. Maybe I should get a maid to clean up around here, but then can I trust someone in here?

I picked my way into the centre of the lab, shuffling stuff with my shoes. It wasn't the mess that bothered me, it was simply the fact that I couldn't get to the workbenches easily. I could run over these piles easily in the dark, but a clumsy human could trip over all too easily. It seems like I can never win with my housekeeping.

I started to put some of the trinkets away, to try to make the lab more recognizable. It may have always been in a mess, but at least a recognisable mess. I picked up some of the glass shards that were lying on the floor surrounded by a clear liquid when I heard it.

Something fell.

Immediately, I stood up straight and took in my surroundings, listening for heartbeats, sniffing the air for any sort of scent. I also listened, and for a moment I could hear everything, even the pipes that ran inside the walls of the lab.

But it was nothing.

Just a fallen box.

It lay on its side, empty. I couldn't mistake it, I heard the air whistling slightly as it sailed to the ground, the impact of cardboard crushing against the floor. But nothing. No-one is here. It was me and my crazy mind, but this wouldn't have been the first time I've seen something unexplainable.

Everything, in the end, is answered.

I turned away from it, just for a moment, and looked back at it again. It was still there. I don't know what to expect, maybe for it to sprout legs and walk away, with all the chemicals spilled on the floor. Ah yes because that would be plausible, I can already imagine the lab report.

I went back to my work, the babble in my head distracting me from what I really needed to do. And so was the laughter. I wasn't laughing, and the noise before was overshadowed by my own thoughts. The laughter wasn't deep or menacing; it was light and floaty, like champagne bubbles that tickle your nose.

I turned around, again, but I didn't need to. They were already there.

"You're never sure of what's real, aren't you Myrnin?" A dark silhouette stared at me, beside a pair of blood red eyes. The red seemed so full of life compared to the emptiness of its neighbour, and they seemed to twinkle and tease me without saying any actual words.

"You could say that." I shot back. It was a hallucination, I could tell. Things from your head don't form in the real world, not for real. I guessed there would be some side effects from being woken up, but I wasn't focusing on mental.

"We would know very well." The womanly voice came closer, and I didn't flinch. She wasn't real, she wasn't here. She stood a few inches away from me, a mass of black, not even a person, no features to distinguish who she is apart from the shape of her body and the hollow eyes. Like a 3D shadow.

This would be over soon, it always is.

I only flinched when her hand closed around my wrist.

Hallucinations aren't supposed to do that.

**Another chapter finished! How was that? Oh poor Myrnin is in trouble again :( **

**I hope you guys enjoyed and review!**

**Oh, college for me is starting again, I'll try to balance things out,but there should be regular updates for you guys! Till next time!**

**~Cheesepuffzapper xx**


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